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National Arch Presentation 

VALLEY FORGE 
JUNE ig, 19 ly 

ADDRESS OF 

GOVERNOR MARTIN G. BRUMBAUGH 



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The United Stdta 

Washington '^Memorial cArch 

%) alley Forge 



ACCEPTANCE ADDRESS 

By 

Governor Martin G. Brumbaugh 

In Reply to 
HON CHAMP CLARK 



Upon the Presentation of the 
Memorial Arch by the United Stater 
to the Common^wealth of Pennsylvania 



VALLEY FORGE, JUNE 19, igi/ 






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Address of 

Governor Martin G. Brumbaugh 

National Arch Presentation 
Valley Forge, June 19, 1917 



Ladies and Gentlemen : In accepting for our great Common- 
wealth tliis National Memorial, now formally transferred to 
our care and keeping by an eloquent and distinguished repre- 
sentative of our National Government, it is fitting that we 
should for a few moments consider the meaning of the action 
now taken and the significance of the purpose that has called 
us here. 

One hundred and thirty-nine years ago, under the immortal 
Washington, there marched from this camp at Valley Forge 
not only an army that thereafter never knew defeat but also 
an ideal in gevernment that is now about to become universal, 
the ideal that free men, enlightened and politically equal, 
shall determine their own destiny and not have it determined 
for them by others. Here huddled in cabins and lacking in 
every comfort that men cherish, naked, bleeding and hungry, 
our forefathers displayed a fortitude unequalled and cherished 
an ideal which, under God, has found welcome in human 
hearts and in patriotic spirits in every clime and in every 
Country. 

The spirit of Valley Forge increasingly becomes the spirit 
/ of the human race. No ideal in government has had such 
speedy and wide-spread acceptance. No other spirit can now, 
in the dark days of the nations, be approvingly entertained 
by any nation. The spirit of Valley Forge is with the Allies 
in the western line; it is breathing hope in Russia. It 
has asserted itself in Greece. It is brooding- over China and 



has already quickened Japan and animates the peoples of the 
islands of the Sea. It has remade South America and is the 
only hope of the Central powers of Europe. 

Pennsylvania early sensed the world meaning of Valley 
Forge and has taken adequate steps to preserve its soil and 
its meaning for all time. This Ardh is recognitioa of the 
nation's concern that the world shall never forget what Valley 
Forge was, is, and forever shall be. 
• ^.^^ The fragmentary groups of Colonials that gathered here in 
1777 had been defeated, disorganized, but not discouraged. 
They knew that life and liberty and the pursuit in peace of 
happy careers could be theirs only if successful. They will- 
ingly staked on the issue their lives, their fortunes and their 
sacred honor, and under effective leadership, they were here 
moulded into an efficient army and into a national spirit. The 
Constitution of the Union was born in the huts of Valley 
Forge. 

Here America learned how sublime a thing it is to suft'er 
/^ and be strong. In the darkest hours of distress and disaster 
our forefathers endured spartan-like the rigors of an exces- 
sively severe winter and the daily menace of an arrogant, city- 
entrenched foe. They came from this winter of discontent a 
disciplined and hearted people, united in ideals, held together 
by common sacrifices and bound by a common experience into 
a people of strength, courage and resourcefulness. 

Here America learned the generous good of sacrifice. When 
in the First Continental Congress news of the occupancy of 
Boston by the British forces was announced, one man em- 
bodying the very spirit of American Liberty arose and 
modestly said, "I propose to equip at my own expense a 
regiment of troops and march at their head for the relief of 
Boston." The speaker was the Commander of this camp, 
George Washington. There is no where in the annals of men 
a finer expression of America's spirit of sacrifice. This coun- 
try won the Revolutionary struggle and triumphed in 1812, 
1847, 1862, 1898, and will again triumph because this is the 
spirit of Valley Forge, the National ideal. 



When our citizens were menaced on the high seas by an 
arrogant monarchy and the property and lives of American 
citizens in defiance of all humanitarian codes were ruthlessly 
sacrificed the hurt was felt in the heart of every American. 
We have answered by declaring war against this ruthless 
despoiler. We have registered upwards of 10,000,000 of men, 
ready to make the Washingtonian sacrifice to defend our 
national honor and to keep our spotless record unsullied. We 
have given by law 7 billions of our money and have over- 
offered in cash 2 billions of it that this wrong may be righted, 
and that the spirit of "Valley Forge may be vindicated on the 
battle plains of the world. We are now giving gladly $100,- 
000,000 to the American National Red Cross as an added 
earnest of our high purpose. We have fed the 'hungry. We 
have ministered to the suffering. We have financed the 
needy. We have counselled the courageous. We have aided 
the oppressed and we are opposing the oppressor and our 
lives, our property and our sacred honor are again freely 
given that the spirit of Valley Forge may be not only our 
animating spirit but the accepted guidance and inspiration of 
all men in all countries from this time on. 

We have learned the value of federated democracy and of 
a united and inseparable nation. When a Pennsylvanian in 
1754 called the delegates of the English colonies to Albany for 
federation and for peace-treaties with the Indians, he planted 
the seeds of American union. When, as a result, these same 
colonies by duly designated delegates met in Carpenter's Hall 
and subsequently in Independence -Hall this National ideal 
began to mature. When Washington at Valley Forge moulded 
the unrelated groups of Colonial troops into one great national 
body, the Constitution was determined and the Union of 
States established forever. Valley Forge was the crowning 
event in those marvelously interesting and significant steps 
by which this nation emerged into the light, set up regulated 
liberty under democracy as the guide and goal of mankind 
and moved triumphantly forward as the color-bearer of all 
oppressed and discouraged peoples. 



Into this great Republic have come from all the world those 
that hungered to eat of the bread of true national life ard 
that tTiirsted to drink of the fountains of liberty and equality. 
We have welcomed them and given them home and haven. 
We ask only that they behave themselves seemly and give, as 
did those of Valley Forge, unstinted and unflinching fealty to 
our flag and our fortunes. To do less is traitorous. To do 
more is impossible. To do as much is just and proper. We 
ask our people, native-born and foreign-born, to follow the 
example of the Continental army that 139 years ago marched 
from the hills of Valley Forge to a destiny immortal. 

This enduring arch is not as enduring as the spirit of Valley 
I'orge, but while it lasts, under the care and keeping of this 
great Commonwealth, we shall cherish it, guard it, honor it, 
as fitting emblem of this vastly more enduring arch of human 
liberty whose foundations are set in the soil of suffering at 
Valley Forge and whose summit crowns the hills of Valley 
Forge. 

This is Pennsylvania. She has ever led in all that national 
enterprise commands, and she to-day accepts this memorial 
as a new pledge ©f national fealty and world-wide democracy. 
Where stand Valley Forge and Pennsylvania, there stand the 
hopes, the aspirations, the glories of the human kind. 



ov OF CONGRESS 



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